Wonderland station

Wonderland is a transit station in Revere, Massachusetts. Located adjacent to Revere Beach, it is the current northern terminus of the MBTA Blue Line rapid transit system, as well as a major bus transfer station for the North Shore area. The station is fully accessible.

Wonderland
Wonderland station in July 2012
Location1300 North Shore Road (Route 1A)
Revere, Massachusetts
Coordinates42.4135°N 70.9918°W / 42.4135; -70.9918
Line(s)Revere Extension
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks2
Connections MBTA bus: 110, 116, 117, 439, 411, 424, 426W, 441, 442, 450W, 455
Construction
Parking1,862 spaces (37 accessible)
Bicycle facilities24 spaces; "Pedal and Park" bicycle cage
Disabled accessYes
History
OpenedJanuary 19, 1954[1]
RebuiltJune 24, 1995[1]
July 2008[1]
June 30, 2012[2]
Previous namesBath House (BRB&L)
Passengers
FY20196,866 (weekday average boardings)[3]
Services
Preceding station MBTA Following station
Revere Beach
toward Bowdoin
 Blue Line Terminus

A previous station, Bath House, was open near the site on the Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad from approximately 1900 to 1940. Wonderland station opened in January 1954. It was rebuilt in 1995, repaired in 2008, and upgraded with a large parking garage and pedestrian bridge in 2012.

The station plays a role in the 1998 film Next Stop Wonderland as the eponymous destination of the main characters.[4]

History

BRB&L
Bath House station, probably in 1921

The narrow-gauge Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad (BRB&L) opened from East Boston to Lynn on July 29, 1875.[5] The line ran directly adjacent to the beachfront, a popular summer destination, on the alignment of the modern Revere Beach Boulevard. The Eastern Railroad opened its Chelsea Beach Branch in 1881 along the modern Blue Line corridor slightly inland. A third line - the Boston, Winthrop, and Shore Railroad - shared the Chelsea Beach Branch alignment in 1884-5.[6] None of the three railroads initially stopped at the modern station site, which was then an unpopulated swampy area. The BRB&L had a stop named Atlantic (later renamed as Revere Street) at Revere Street some 2,000 feet (610 m) to the north of the modern station site from the beginning of its operations; the other railroads may have briefly had Revere Street stops as well.[5]

The Chelsea Beach Branch, which operated only during the summer, ended operations in 1891, although the rails remained in place until the 1920s.[6][7] In April 1897, the BRB&L was moved inland onto the modern right-of-way next to the abandoned Chelsea Beach Branch.[8] A new station, Bath House, was soon built on the east side of the tracks across from the new Revere Beach Bath House, just north of the modern station site.[9] By 1928 the line was electrified, with pre-pay stations - more a rapid transit line than a conventional railroad.[10] However, due to the Great Depression, the BRB&L shut down on January 27, 1940.[6]

M.T.A. and MBTA
A Blue Line train at Wonderland in 1967
Wonderland's platforms were rebuilt in 2008

In 1941, the Boston Elevated Railway bought the BRB&L right of way from Day Square to Revere Beach for use as a high-speed trolley line similar to the Ashmont-Mattapan High Speed Line; these plans were delayed by the onset of World War II.[8] The 1926 Report on Improved Transportation Facilities and 1945–47 Coolidge Commission Report recommended that the East Boston Tunnel line, which had been converted to rapid transit from streetcars in 1924, be extended to Lynn via the BBRB&L route rather than using it for a trolley line.[11][12]

In 1947, the newly formed Metropolitan Transit Authority (M.T.A.) decided to build to Lynn as a rapid transit line, and construction began in October 1948.[8] The first part of the Revere Extension opened to Orient Heights in January 1952 and Suffolk Downs in April 1952; the second phase (cut short due to limited funds) opened to Wonderland on January 19, 1954 with intermediate stations at Beachmont and Revere Beach.[8][11][1] Wonderland was originally to be named Bath House after the former station, but instead was named after the now-closed Wonderland Greyhound Park - itself named after Wonderland Amusement Park, which operated at the site from 1906 to 1911.[12][13]

The Wonderland Blue Line terminus station has been in mostly continuous operation since 1954; however, service has been interrupted several times due to weather and construction. It was closed for flood damage from February 6 to March 13, 1978 after the Blizzard of '78, and from June 24 to September 10, 1983 for track work between Wonderland and Orient Heights.[1]

Renovations

Modernization and platform lengthening work at Wonderland, which included ramps and an elevator for accessibility, began in August 1988.[14] Wonderland was the third Blue Line station to be made accessible (after Suffolk Downs in 1984 and State eastbound in 1987).[15]

Wonderland was closed for approximately one year starting on June 25, 1994 as the station was rebuilt along with Suffolk Downs, Revere Beach and Beachmont stations as part of the Blue Line Modernization Program. Blue Line service temporarily ended at Orient Heights and buses served the closed stations during project.[16][1] Wonderland station was largely rebuilt at a cost of $9 million; it reopened along with the other stations on June 24, 1995.[17] The station was closed while additional platform repair work was performed from June 21 to July 3, 2008.[1][18]

Wonderland Intermodal Transit Center
Wonderland Intermodal Transit Center in July 2016

As early as 1973, the MBTA proposed constructing a parking garage at Wonderland.[19] The project was stalled by the 1973–1975 recession.[20]

In 2006, the MBTA settled a lawsuit with the Conservation Law Foundation over emissions from increased auto traffic through downtown Boston due to the Big Dig. As part of the settlement, the MBTA was required to implement 20 transit improvements.[21] One of these projects was the Wonderland Intermodal Transit Center, which started construction in September 2010 and opened on June 30, 2012.[2][22]

The $53.5 million project, partially funded by the 2009 Stimulus Act, included the 1465-space South Parking Garage as well as a new sheltered busway, bicycle storage, and improved pedestrian connections.[2][23] The MBTA began work on an elevated plaza at the station and a footbridge over Ocean Avenue to Revere Beach in September 2011.[24] The $20 million project, including the Christina and John Markey Memorial Pedestrian Bridge opened on July 4, 2013.[25][26]

Future plans

Ever since the 1954 Revere extension was cut short to Wonderland, a further extension to Lynn has been planned. Various state and federal reports in 1966, 1969, 1973, 1978, and 1983 all recommended extensions of the Blue Line to Lynn or even Salem, but funding was instead given to the Haymarket North Extension and Southwest Corridor projects on the Orange Line and the Alewife and Braintree extensions of the Red Line.[11] The extension is still continually discussed, but due to the lack of an identified funding source it has not received priority.[27] The Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which has been under development since 2002, will include several possible projects. They include extending the Blue Line directly to Lynn, a shorter extension to a new Revere Center commuter rail station, or a direct transfer from Wonderland via people mover to the new commuter rail station.[28]

In March 2012, the MBTA announced plans to place solar panels on the roof of the new South Garage. The panels would be installed and maintained by an outside contractor.[29] A winning bidder was chosen in June 2012 and approved by the board in September, with expected completion by June 2013.[30] However, as of 2015, the solar panels have not been installed.

Bus connections
Buses on routes 117 and 455 boarding passengers in the Wonderland garage busway in September 2014

As the terminus of the Blue Line, Wonderland serves as a major bus transfer station for the North Shore. All routes except southbound route 411 buses (which run on Ocean Avenue) use a busway in the garage off Route 1A, which opened on June 30, 2012.[2][31] Previously, several routes used a two-lane busway off Ocean Avenue.[1]

The 426W and 450W routes operate weekends only; on weekdays, the 426 and 450 routes operate instead to Haymarket. Other routes formerly operated in this fashion: routes 441, 442, and 455 until July 1, 2012, and route 424 until September 1, 2019.[1]

References
  1. Belcher, Jonathan. "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). NETransit.
  2. "Patrick-Murray Administration Celebrates Opening of Wonderland Intermodal Transit Center" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. June 30, 2012.
  3. "A Guide to Ridership Data". MassDOT/MBTA Office of Performance Management and Innovation. June 22, 2020. p. 8.
  4. "MGH makes cameo appearance in "Next Stop, Wonderland"". MGH Hotline. 25 September 1998. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008.
  5. Bradlee, Francis Boardman Crowninshield (1921). The Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Narrow Gauge Railroad. Essex Institute. pp. 4–5 – via Google Books.
  6. Karr, Ronald Dale (1995). The Rail Lines of Southern New England. Branch Line Press. pp. 262, 268–272. ISBN 0942147022.
  7. Karr, Ronald Dale (2010). Lost Railroads of New England (Third ed.). Branch Line Press. p. 91. ISBN 9780942147117.
  8. Cheney, Frank (2003). Boston's Blue Line. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 8, 74, 83. ISBN 9780738535760.
  9. "Plan for Improvement of Ocean Avenue in City of Revere, Mass". Metropolitan Park Commission. 6 January 1916 – via WardMaps.
  10. ""Narrow Gage" Electrified for Economy". Electric Railway Journal. 72 (23): 991–998. 8 December 1928. Retrieved 24 December 2015 – via Internet Archive.
  11. Central Transportation Planning Staff (15 November 1993). "The Transportation Plan for the Boston Region - Volume 2". National Transportation Library. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  12. Boston Elevated Railway and Boston Department of Public Utilities (1945), Boston Rapid Transit System & Proposed Extensions 1945 - Metropolitan Transit Recess Commission Air View
  13. "History Overview". RevereBeach.com. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  14. Sanborn, George M. (1992). A Chronicle of the Boston Transit System. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority – via Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
  15. MBTA : ACCESS; The Guide to Accessible Services and Facilities. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. June 1992. p. 15 – via Internet Archive.
  16. Blake, Andrew (March 20, 1994). "MBTA to begin $467 million Blue Line project". Boston Globe – via Newspapers.com. (second page)
  17. Blake, Andrew (June 18, 1995). "Blue Line stations set to reopen after $467m upgrade". Boston Globe – via Newspapers.com. (second page)
  18. "Blue Line Rehab Project To Begin" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. June 18, 2008.
  19. Plotkin, A.S. (November 9, 1973). "$100m parking plans snagged by lot abuttors". Boston Globe. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. Plotkin, A.S. (August 21, 1975). "Highway projects worth $146m stalled for lack of money". Boston Globe. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. "Case Law Updates Details: Conservation Law Foundation v. Romney". Center for Environmental Excellence. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  22. Rosenberg, Steven A. (24 June 2012). "Projects to ease parking crunch". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  23. "T Projects: Wonderland TOD". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  24. "Patrick-Murray Administration announces $20M Investment for Construction of a New Plaza and Pedestrian Bridge at Wonderland Station" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. September 16, 2011.
  25. Daniel, Seth (10 July 2013). "Wondy Pedestrian Bridge, Plaza Opens Quietly". Revere Journal. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  26. Christina and John Markey Memorial Pedestrian Bridge at Structurae
  27. Rosenburg, Steven (6 April 2008). "Blue Line Blues". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on 26 July 2008.
  28. "North Shore Transit Improvements". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  29. Young, Colin A. (27 March 2012). "MBTA wants solar companies to build plants at Wonderland in Revere and Readville Yard 5 in Dedham". Boston Globe. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  30. Stevens, Chris (15 September 2012). "MBTA to launch solar energy program at Wonderland". Daily Item. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  31. "Wonderland Station Neighborhood Map" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. April 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
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